Blessing (25th November 2012)

The Source of Life

3 John, the shortest book of the New Testament introduces three people: the recipient of this letter, Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. At that time, many disciples of Jesus were traveling around to preach the gospel and were always in need of some people or some churches to provide them with food and a place to stay. Some churches were good at helping them out, while others were not concerned with them. The church of Gaius was also having the problem whether to accept those strangers as preachers and guests. The church had to decide whether to give them hospitality or just ignore them. We can see that Gaius was trying to build up a tradition to help those pilgrims, whereas Diotraphes wanted to lead their church not to pay attention to them.

The scripture remarks that Gaius is a man who “walks in the truth”. His life was dedicated to what is truth and what makes God happy. Also he was “faithful in what he is doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to him (5)”. Likewise, Demetrius is “well spoken by everyone – and even by the truth itself.” By contrast, Diotrephes is reported to “refuse to welcome the brothers” and “stop those who want to do so and puts them out of the church”. He might be reasonable, and moreover a man of love. However, the problem is that his “love” never goes beyond the love for “us”. The “others” outside “us” are not of his interest. In this sense, he lost the power of love by being confined within his own fence.

Diotrephe seems to have a considerable power within his community. But he tries to execute his power to lead people to something negative. “Loves to be first” – this is a remark about him written in today’s scripture. This clearly shows what his true motives are. His motives are not the glory of God, well-being of his brothers and sisters or strengthening their church. The only interest of him is his own
interest, and his own will, which tremendously weakens a Christian community.

No life can grow with no love. Thanks to our lord, Jesus Christ’s love and sacrifice, we got out of darkness and are living in the light. It is not Diotrephe but Gaius and Demetrius who make a community of life and peace. What can truly restore and change people is not criticism and judgment, but waiting, reception and love. Sometimes we use a language of criticism and judgment, which defines the behavior of Diotrephe. In contrast to this, Gaius and Demetrius spot the beauty of people who are wandering now and wait for them to come back to Jesus Christ.

Blessing for what?

In line with this, Apostle Paul conveys a message of blessing together with encouragement:

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul
is getting along well (2).

I really like this message of blessing sent to a younger Gaius by an old apostle. “Soul’s getting along well”, “all going well with us”, and “good health” – all of these are what we hope fore. It’d be really great if we have these all. However, our soul is not getting along well now. It’s because we drive ourselves too fast in seeking of our happiness. But the point is – no peace of soul without inner silence. The “inner peace” can only come when we have the time to stay by ourselves silently. One of my favorite hymn is “It is well with my soul” written by Mr. Spafford, which goes like:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

Brothers and sisters, when do we have peace like him? When we had a time of loneliness before God and dedicate our life to Him, our soul is well even if our life suffers like sea billows roll. But the point is it is not possible to have our soul get along well while ignoring others’ suffering and hardships.

What do you think it means to have blessing from Jesus? It should definitely not refer to having a bigger house and a more luxurious car. But rather, when someone reduces the size of his house and help people in need with the money he got, he is a blessed man. This is the blessing that the Bible is talking about. However, this message of blessing has disappeared in Korean churches. This is very tragic.

Brothers and sisters, Christians’ happiness is a gift that God offers to us when we eagerly share others’ suffering and try to be with those who are in despair. Prof. Seo at a university in Tokyo once pointed out that education/cultivation is disappearing in our era. He further added that education/cultivation refers to the ability to have empathy with others’ suffering, not the ability to learn faster and more. When we become capable of feeling empathy for others, our soul gets along well. That is, when we do something and become hope for others, the true happiness of our soul obtains.

A Dialectic of Being Empty and Full

Nest, the same applies to “all going well”. We all hope that everything goes well with us. However, sometimes we succeed, other times we fail. In fact, it is not possible for everything to go well all the time. A Buddist scripture says two things like the following:

Do not expect to have no difficulties in life. If one has no difficulties in life, he/she will have despise on others and extravagance. Therefore, the saint says “Live your life with worry and difficulty. Do not expect your dream to come true easily. If it happens, you will become careless. Therefore, the saint says “Achieve your work in a difficult manner”

A wishful thought not to have difficulty in life sometimes makes us unhappy and lead us to have despise and extravagance. But true difficulties in life can be an anchor of our soul so that we do not go astray from our source of life, that is, Jesus Christ.

Today, people have a tendency to replace “all going well” by money. However, money can destroy what is valuable so easily. A family that had a good relationship among members when poor can break down when they become rich. There is no satisfaction with our desire. If we build our house of life on the basis of desire, we cannot help living in anxiety. The process that we think satisfied with what we possess and try to empty what we have, not attempting to fill with more – this is the true life of Christians. When we empty ourselves for the glory of God, we can be filled with God’s grace.

We often hear about some Korean churches’ seeking for the “growth” of the churches. A church is currently constructing a new building at a cost of 2.1 million dollars at the center of Seoul. We need to think carefully. Is this luxurious building something that makes God happy? Did Jesus Christ have to die so that Christians have this comfortable and extravagant environment?

Brothers and sisters, I really hope and pray that all you do go well, as your pastor. However, our success and achievement cannot be build upon sacrifice of someone else or descruction of eco system. When we live in God’s grace, everything is already going well. Don’t forget this: When you try to walk in the truth in God’s grace, everything you attempt is not something that should go well, but something that has already been going well.

A sound soul resides within a sound body (?)

Lastly, the apostle gives blessing on Gaio’s health. Health is the most important virtue/religion in the current world. Health is really important. I know from my experience. If physical health is lost, mind and soul become destroyed as well. Every time I meet my friends and colleagues, they wonder about my health condition. I feel really sorry because I made them worry, so I try to take good care of my health. However, I’d like to point out that it is not good either to stick to physical health too excessively.

Who is a healthy person? If one does something wrong with his good health, he is not in fact a healthy person. Those who carry out the will of God and take care of their neighbors with love and with the “daily health” and a “daily” food from God, are truly healthy people. Then, how can we stay healthy? I’m talking to you and myself. Do exercise! Do you expect me to say so? Well, I might have said so in the past. But now, I’m saying that we should slow down. Running toward success without a pause makes us anxious and unhealthy. Taking time to take care of our inner soul by being alone is as important as doing exercise. I believe that when we stop talking and open up our soul to God, we will
be filled with the power of God.

Concluding remarks

Today is the last Sunday in Church calendar. How have you lived for the past year? I listen to the classical music “The Beutitut” by H.R. Evans last week. The title can be translated into “blessing” or “bliss”. Listening to the songs of blessing, I became peaceful and in silence.

I believe that how to become happy is to bless other people. Receiving blessing is important; but mediating blessing for other people is more important. I hope and pray that we all live like Gaius and Demetrius, getting out of the position of Diotrephe. I myself, like the apostle, wants to enjoy the pleasure to see our church members walk in the truth. I pray that we all make our church community a source of life, not a grave of God.

The Advent starts next week, which is the start of a new Church calendar. I bless and pray in the name of Jesus, that we remember Jesus came to us as the King of peace, and try to have peace and happiness with others by having the mind to pursue God’s will with healthy soul and body. Amen.